NEWS DESK

A legal notice has been served to the government to stop the use of disinfectants, which have reportedly been found to be harmful for health, on the human body as a measure against COVID-19.

Different kinds of disinfecting substances are sprayed on human body through various devices such as box/chamber/tunnel/booth/partition/gate to prevent spread of coronavirus.

Planning, health, disaster management and relief and energy secretaries, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), director of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control & Research (IEDCR), Chief Engineer of Health Engineering Department (HED) of Health Ministry and Principal Information Officer of Press Information Department (PID) have been made respondents to the legal notice.

The notice said, "It is asserted that World Health Organisation (WHO) in their official website clearly provided an advice for the public, 'Do not under any circumstance spray or introduce bleach or any other disinfectant into your body. These substances can be poisonous if ingested and cause irritation and damage to your skin and eyes.'

It further clarified that bleach or any other disinfectant should be used carefully to disinfect surfaces only.

"Ministry of Health has miserably failed to perform their obligation to stop use of such devices. Rather, once such use is endorsed by the government authorities, the general people will be encouraged, which will have pathetic ramifications on human health. In doing so, government money will be wasted and citizens will be at health risks," read the notice.